Yukon government to reimburse parents affected by daycare closure

The Yukon government says it's going to help parents who lost money when the Cheeky Monkeys daycare in Whitehorse closed this week with little notice.

Parents say they were told on Friday that the daycare was closing, and they'd have no child care starting this week. The owner told CBC the Canada Revenue Agency had seized all her accounts and she cannot reimburse parents or even pay staff.

Families who had paid the daycare facility in advance were asking for refunds.

Pat Living, a spokesperson for Yukon's Department of Health and Social Services, says the territorial government has allocated an emergency subsidy. The decision, she says, recognizes that many parents could not pay two daycare facilities at the same time.

The territorial subsidy could be worth as much as $688 for an infant attending daycare full time.

Living says that the territorial government's Child Care Subsidy Program will also apply to any replacement care, even if the subsidy was already sent to Cheeky Monkeys for this month.

The new subsidy only applies to licensed daycares. It cannot be used to pay a relative or acquaintance to look after children.

Anyone with questions is encouraged to call (867) 667-3492 to speak with someone at the Yukon government's Child Care Services Unit.

Meantime, some parents are hoping to help the 12 staff who were unexpectedly laid off from Cheeky Monkeys. One parent, Molly Keizer, says they have started a collection to help those workers, and say thank you.